Barbados Is The Perfect Caribbean Island For Your Honeymoon
The honeymoon is a hugely important part of any couples wedding preparations; it is after all the climax to one of the most important and special days of your life. It requires a lot of thought and planning to ensure that it is a memorable event. A honeymoon should be all about romance and spending quality time together as newly married couple that have joined together in the ultimate commitment to each other.
A honeymoon destination should be somewhere very special, which will help to make it a magical and unforgettable occasion. I can personally think of no better place than the beautiful Caribbean island of Barbados, it is an amazing island, which is unlike any other country on the entire planet. It has some of the most beautiful beaches and best hotels in the world, as well as being a culturally diverse island.
The island of Barbados really does offer everything that a newly married couple could want to ensure that their honeymoon is a romantic occasion. Picture yourselves wakening up in the morning in a beautiful hotel room, with a balcony overlooking the crystal clear blue Caribbean Sea, then going for a walk hand in hand along the white sandy beach as you enjoy the magic of this Caribbean paradise.
Barbados offers an abundance of fantastic bars, restaurants, music venues, and nightclubs to suit whatever mood you may be in, whether your seeking a quiet and romantic night or a more lively occasion listening to music or dancing the night away to the rhythm of the Caribbean, you will find it all here. There is even an abundance of international duty free shops such as Cave Shepherd, where you can shop until your hearts or wallets are content.
If you like the sound of Barbados as a honeymoon destination, you can find a good selection of hotel rooms at very reasonable rates through a site called hotelscombined.com, why not have a wee look and see what they have to offer. Barbados maybe a small island but it has a great selection of hotel rooms at all levels of the price spectrum.
Barbados is a true tropical paradise that is everything you could dream of and more, it is quite simple the perfect honeymoon destination. If you are tempted by the prospect of honeymooning in Barbados, why not take a look at a site called Barbados Photo Blog, which has some stunning pictures of Barbados.
10 Essential Travel Items You Must Take On Holiday
This is my list of what I perceive to be 10 essential travel items that you should take on holiday with you, to help ensure that you have a successful and safe trip. It doesn’t matter whether you’re going to Barbados, Bahamas, St Lucia, America, Scotland or any place in the world, my list of travel items are essential.
10 Essential Travel Items:
1. Travel Insurance: Probably the most important thing you should make sure you have before you go away on holiday. Don’t be one of those cheapskates that you here saying, it will never happen to me. Make sure you do your research and study what your getting for your money. Don’t just buy it because it’s the cheapest. I have first hand experience of having to claim from an insurance policy and it saved me over £1500 in costs.
2. First Aid Kit: Get a good one, not one of those that cost £1.99 and offer you little plasters and some savlon. Get a decent one, which includes a dental repair kit, diarrhoea tablets, sickness tablets, insect repellent, tweezers etc.
3. Money Belt: A money belt is essential for keeping important items and money safe. Get one made of fabric that won’t get drenched in sweat and is waterproof.
4. Handle Scale: If you are the type of person that always buys lots of goodies when you’re on holiday, this item is essential. Nowadays you will be more than aware how strict airlines have become regarding baggage weights. If you exceed the airlines limits, you will pay heftily for it.
5. Torch: This is an essential piece of equipment; get one of those powerful mini torches that you can easily carry with you. Also make sure you know where it is when you go to your bed at night. You never know when there is going to be a power cut and believe me it will be essential.
6. Compressing Pack: Are great invention which is basically a plastic bag that you put your clothes in, which when rolled up, air gets pushed out through special valves and as a result they save you space in your suitcase.
7. Luggage Straps: These will help to provide extra support and make your luggage extra secure. We are all well aware of the rough handling that our luggage receives once you put it through check in at the airport. How often have you seen busted open bags coming through on the conveyor belt and with the contents all over the place. If only the skinflints had spent a measly £2.00 on a luggage strap they could have avoided the stress. They are also great for quickly identifying your luggage when it comes through.
8. Neck Pillow: I would recommend one of these for anybody going on a flight, get an inflatable one which takes up very little room. Yes they do work and they are worth it, a little bit of extra comfort when flying.
9. ipod: You know when your travelling, especially when your flyi
ng that there is going to be delays, or the choice of onboard entertainment is going to be crap. Make sure you bring your ipod because when things get crazy, you can just listen to your favourite tunes and the world will seem a slightly better place.
10. Large Bag of Jelly Babies: These have saved my life along with my ipod, during crazy airport delays. My favourites are the green ones and the black ones.
To ensure a safe and successful trip, it involves a little bit of thought and careful planning, but as you can see it isn’t rocket science and I can assure you that it is better to be prepared, rather than sorry.
A near perfect list from my perspective, this wee lot works every time for me! If you have any good travel essenital items of your own let me know by leaving a comment.
The Barbados Blog Has At Last Got Some Sexyiness, Rihanna!
I was taking things easy in Barbados as I do from time to time, and thought to myself that The Barbados Blog was a dam good blog, but it needed spiced up a little bit. In other words it could do with a little bit of sexyiness to heat it up a wee bit.
Then it dawned on me, who is quite possible the most famous and biggest star that Barbados has ever produced, it can obviously only be Rihanna. This girl is known worldwide as a R&B singing sensation that has taken the world by storm. She seems to be a great ambassador for Barbados and is making people take notice of Barbados, who were previously not even aware that it even existed. She is not only a fantastically talented artist, but she is also a stunningly attractive and sexy looking lady.
In 2003, at the age of 15, Rihanna received her big break when one of her friends introduced her to music producer Evan Rogers, who was vacationing in Barbados with his wife. Rogers, along with his partner, Carl Sturken, helped Rihanna record material in the U.S. which was sent to various recording companies. One copy of Rihanna’s work was sent to Jay-Z, who eventually signed her to Def Jam Recordings.
A few facts about Rihanna:
Birth name: Robyn Rihanna Fenty
Born: February 20, 1988 (1988-02-20) (age 20)
Origin: Saint Michael, Barbados
Genre(s): Pop, R&B, reggae, dance-pop, electronica, electropop, dancehall
Occupation(s): Singer, model, fashion designer, music director
Official website: Rihanna
Watch and Listen to Rihanna perform “Disturbia”
Where Is Barbados, Well Let Me Educate You!
I have been asked the question “where is Barbados”, quite a few times from people that have read The Barbados Blog and have been intrigued by life in Barbados and what the island has to offer. So for the benefit of all those that are not too sure where Barbados is situated in the world, let me educate you and show you where it is.
Barbados is a fairly small island situated in the Caribbean region of the world. The island is actually located in the Atlantic Ocean to the east of the other Caribbean islands. The exact location of Barbados is 13 ͦ North of the equator and 59 ͦ West of the prime meridian; the Island lies in the Southern Caribbean region.
The closet neighbours to Barbados are Saint Vincent & the Grenadines and Saint Lucia to the west and Trinidad & Tobago to the south. Barbados is also fairly close to the continent of South America and is only 270 miles (432 km) northeast of Venezuela. Barbados is 1599 miles (2573 km) northwest of Miami.
There we have it, my personal directions to the beautiful Caribbean Island of Barbados.
The Wandering Scotsman Maybe In Barbados But Scotland Isn’t Forgotten
Even though I’m enjoying my travels and the adventure of living in my new homeland of Barbados, it doesn’t mean that I don’t miss Scotland the country of my birth. I must admit some days I do get a wee bit nostalgic for Scotland and wish I could just jump in my car and go and visit some of the places and sites that use to inspire me.
Barbados is kind of like Scotland in that it is a naturally beautiful country and that you can quite easily get away from the maddening crowds and noise of normal day-to-day living and escape to somewhere peaceful and restful to recharge your batteries for a few hours.
So I have decided to do my bit for the Scottish Tourist Board and show the world some of the places in Scotland that I personally love to go and visit. I have been to them all and they are worthy of your time and effort if you ever happen to make it to Scotland.
Eilean Donan Castle – one of the most instantly recognisable images of Scotland. The castle sits on a small island in Loch Duich in the Western Highlands. It was oringally built in 1220 by Alexander II as a defense agains the vikings. A truly fantasic place to visit.
Edinburgh castle – this amazing landmark sits on top of a huge crag of volcanic rock in the heart of the city. The castle offers a spectacular setting with breathtaking views.
Arthurs Seat & Salisbury Crag – An amazing piece of wild landscape in the city centre, which sits on an extinct volcano. Arthurs seat, which is the summit, rises to 823 feet and offers panoramic views of virtually the whole city.
Ben Nevis – the highest mountain in Britain standing at 4406 feet above sea level. It is located at the western end of the Grampian Mountains in Lochaber. The views from the top of “The Ben” on a clear day can only be described as breathtaking and are well worth the 7-9 hours climb.
Plocton – a beautiful wee picturesque highland village that has a population of around 380. It is situated on the shores of Loch Carron. Because of its location it avoids the prevailing winds, which together with the North Atlantic Drift, it has a remarkable mild climate by Scottish standards, which allows palm trees to be grown there.
Loch Ness - which is famous for the iconic “Nessie” the Loch Ness Monster. It is a large deep fresh water loch located in the Highlands of Scotland. It is around twenty two and a half miles long and between one and one and a half miles wide, a depth of 754 feet with the bottom of the loch being as flat as a bowling green. A trip on a one of the tourist boats is a must. You will find beautiful wild scenery, fantastic views and much more.
Lonach Highland Gathering and Games – this is a truly unique event where you will witness the march of the Clansmen as well as the normal events associated with the Scottish Highland Games. A great, friendly, warm event that you cant but fail to appreciate and enjoy.
Glencoe – is one of the most beautiful and spectacular places in the world, it is a glen located in the Western Highlands of Scotland and offers some of the most stunning scenery you will ever come across.
Isle of Iona – is a small island in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland, it is approximately 1 mile wide and 3.5 miles long and has a population of 125. Iona is where Saint Columba in 563, founded a monastery with 12 companions. It is an island that is renowned for its tranquillity and natural beauty.
Sandwood Bay – is quite possible the best beach in the Uk, it is a one mile long stretch of pinkish sand which is backed by huge sand dunes and a freshwater loch , and flanked by great cliffs and a sea stack called Am Buachaille. A beautiful and relaxing place, which is never over run with tourists.
A Fun Day Trip – To Grenade Hall Forest & Signal Station
I started work real early on Monday, well it was early for me, it was 4am. The neighbours pesky rooster had once again woken me up and I couldn’t get back to sleep, so what could I do, apart from wake up and make good use of my time. As a result of my early start to my working day, I felt like I had earned an early finish, so I called it quits and stopped work at 1pm.
I felt like it was time to go and be a tourist for the afternoon, so we headed off to the Barbados Wildlife Reserve and Grenade Hall Forest and Signal Station. We had been to the Barbados Wildlife Reserve on a previous trip, but on that occasion we were not aware that you could also visit Grenade Hall Forest & Signal Station as part of your admission, In fact we never even knew about it. I suppose that could be blamed on the tour company, which we had paid to take us on there idea of an island tour, they didn’t even tell us Harrison’s Cave hadn’t reopened at that particular time.
I wont mention the Barbados Wildlife Reserve in this particular article because I feel it deserves it’s own space, as I have a serious issue with how they choose to run that part of their business!
So what is Grenade Hall Forest and Signal Station you may ask, unless you have been before, then you will know all about it! It is basically a 2 kilometres of coral pathways, which take you through a gully full of an amazing amount of different species of tree’s, shrubs, vines and herbs.
I found the walk along the paths fairly easy, even though there are some slightly steep hills and the paths are a wee bit slippery due to the climate, so you have to walk fairly carefully. If you are extremely unfit you may struggle a wee bit on this walk. There are various informative signposts along the path ways telling you about the huge variety of trees and plants. There is even a cave to go and explore but I wasn’t brave enough to into it without a torch.
The walk through the gully takes you in a loop back to the where you started. We then went up another wee hill and visited the Grenade Hall Signal Station. The signal station is a very important historic part of Barbadian history. It was built in 1819 as part of a group of signal stations all over the island. Signal stations were used to quickly relay information around the island, such as to warn of approaching ships or of slave rebellions.
My family and myself really enjoyed this adventure and getting the opportunity to experience some of the historic past of Barbados. I also enjoyed getting the opportunity to see the various different trees and plants of Barbados and learn about them and there importance. The negatives I would say about this trip is that there were some fallen trees blocking parts of the pathways and the audio system at the Signal Station wasn’t working. I also feel that the owners of this attraction could do more to make it an even better and more rewarding experience. They should possible look into doing group guided tours every hour or something along those lines.
So all in all, I would say that improvements could be made to Grenade Hall Forest & Signal Station, but that is a very worthwhile tourist attraction to go and visit. I would advise you to wear footwear that are good for walking in, if you ever visit Grenade Hall Forest & Signal Station.
For some great pictures of Barbados you should visit The Barbados Photo Blog.
10 Inspirational Travel Quotations’s To Inspire You
As the saying goes, “travel broadens our horizons” and I personally feel, that if you haven’t travelled you have truly missed out. Nothing quite beats the thrill of boarding a plane to jet off to a foreign land and the anticipation of the adventures that lie ahead.
I have put together a list of 10 travel quotations, which I find truly inspirational, about the virtues and pleasures of travel.
1) “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” Mark Twain
2) “The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page”. St Augustine
3) “Travel and change of place impart new vigor to the mind”. Seneca
4) “I am so convinced of the advantages of looking at mankind instead of reading about them, and of the bitter effects of staying at home with all the narrow prejudices of an Islander, that I think there should be a law amongst us to set our young men abroad for a term among the few allies our wars have left us”. Lord Byron
5) “We travel just to travel”. Ernesto Che Guevara
6) “Not bound to swear allegiance to any master, wherever the wind takes me I travel as a visitor.
Drop the question what tomorrow may bring, and count as profit every day that Fate allows you”. Horace
7) “Don’t tell me how educated you are, tell me how much you travelled”. Mohammed
8)”For my part, I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel’s sake. The great affair is to move. There are no foreign lands. It is the traveler who is foreign”. Robert Louis Stevenson
9) “The wise man travels to discover himself”. James Russell Lowell
10) “A journey is like marriage. The certain way to be wrong is to think you control it “. John Steinbeck
As the Wise Man Once Said, “We Travel Just To Travel”
I have been asked the question many times by friends, family, and even complete strangers what made me leave Scotland to come and live in Barbados. The main reason I would say is my love of travelling and adventure. I love Scotland, which is the country of my birth and where I lived for most of my life. But as I approached the grand old age of 40, I felt that life was passing me by and I needed new experiences and fresh challenges, it is as simple as that.
I personally feel that everyone should engage in travelling to far away lands to experience different cultures, weather, languages, food, drink, and to just engage in life somewhere different from our normal comfort zones. I especially feel that it is something that not only will adults tremendously benefit from, but children will also greatly benefit from the joys and wonders, not only of travelling to foreign lands but actually living in a different country.
I suppose I was like most people that would dream about just giving everything up and heading off to another country to start a new life, it would just remain an ideal dream. I would always find excuses as to why I should stay in Scotland. Life sure was comfortable in Scotland, nice apartment, good car, reasonable well paid and secure job, with a good pension at the end of it. I maybe wasn’t rich but things were okay. But the lure of travelling and the excitement of the unknown became too much of a pull for my family and myself and here we are following our dreams in Barbados.
I maybe be approaching 40 years old, but it is now being said that 40 is the new 20 and who am I too disagree with that. I may not have as much money, a regular income or a fancy car as I once had, but I’m enjoying life and the new challenges and experiences of living life in my new home in Barbados.
I know some people would find it a complete nightmare to be periodically getting lost when I go out in the car or not quite knowing how to get somewhere, I find it shows that I’m still alive and I’m loving the challenges, which my new environment provides me with.
Now that Barbados is my home, the traveller in me is looking forward to going and exploring some of the many other wonderful Caribbean Islands. All I can say is, long may the adventures and travelling continue.
Travel Tips For Those Of You Flying To Barbados
When flying to Barbados or anywhere for that matter, it is always a good idea of have a game plan in operation. It really doesn’t take a lot of time and effort to organise your flight to make things a hell of lot easier for yourself.
The Booking:
When you book your flight it is always advisable to make sure you book it well in advance. This after all is common sense. It doesn’t really matter who you are booking your flight with or which airline you are using to fly to Barbados, the further you book your flight in advance the more money you will save.
By booking well in advance you will not only save money but you will be guaranteed the travel dates which you want, as we all know airline seats are booked on a first come first served basis.
There are only a few airlines that actually fly to Barbados, so it is a simple enough procedure to compare prices, how long they actually take to get here and the size of there seats. All these factors come into my equation when flying; I personally like to get to my destination as quickly as possible and with as much legroom as possible. When I fly to and from Barbados, for me personally the extra cost of flying in premium economy is definitely worth it.
Luggage:
Carefully consider how much luggage your airline will allow you to carry; I know from personal experience how strict they are nowadays. When I flew to Barbados in June, they wouldn’t even let me take an extra 1 kg without charging me and I was flying in premium economy. Airlines are getting stricter all the time, and they will charge you a hefty fee if you’re luggage is over weight. It doesn’t take a lot of effort to weigh them before you head to the airport.
I would advice anybody flying to Barbados, (if the airline you are using of course does it) is to book your luggage in the night before. It is a much less stressful way to start your holiday. It is worth the extra expense of booking a hotel room and as we all know there are some cheap hotels situated close to most major airports.
The Flight:
Wear loose fitting and lightweight clothes, and take a light jumper because it can sometimes get a wee bit cool on the flight. Why not get some flight slippers to wear; after all you’re on the flight for at least 7 hours. I would also recommend purchasing a neck cushion; they are worth the few dollars that they cost. I normally take every free newspaper and magazine that are given away free before I board the plan and also bring some comfort snacks with me, they all help to pass the time.
Don’t just sit on your seat for the full flight journey; our bodies are not designed to sit on an airline seat without moving for hour upon hour. Get up and periodically go for a walk, if people around you don’t like it, tough luck on them, it’s your health that counts.
Arrival In Barbados:
Upon arrival in Barbados make sure you have filled out your customs clearance form. Fortunately it doesn’t take very long to clear customs and receive your luggage at Grantley Adams International airport. What I love about arriving in Barbados, is that you don’t have to walk miles to clear customs and then get your luggage, it’s a breeze compared to places like Heathrow, Gatwick, JFK, Miami etc
Also I would recommend that you get one of the luggage guys to carry you bags for you on their trolley to your transportation. It is worth it the few dollars that it costs. I normally give them BDS$10 which saves my back and arms.
My motto when flying is to make everything as easy as possible for my family and myself. As you can see it really doesn’t really take very much planning to make things easier and more comfortable for yourself.
For some great pictures of Barbados you should visit The Barbados Photo Blog.
Sunday Is A Day of Rest and Should Be Kept That Way!
Sunday for me is a day of rest and the one day of the week I like to make sure I spend some quality time with my family. I like to either head to a nice beach for a barbecue and to chill out, or maybe go and visit a tourist attraction of some sorts. For me it is the perfect way to spend a Sunday.
I feel that we all need to take some time out from our normal daily routines and spend time with our family just hanging out together, talking, eating, having a laugh, playing games or just being together. Sunday is after all meant to be a day of rest, when we get the chance to have a day off work.
I’m not really much of a churchgoer but I respect Sunday as being the Sabbath and that is the day when we should pay our respects to God and Jesus. I personally feel that all shops, businesses, etc should shut down for this one day of the week. I’m well aware of the fact that there are some essential services that must work on a Sunday. But for many businesses it is all about the money and that is there reason for opening on a Sunday. I also realise that certain religions have their Sabbath on a Saturday and they should be allowed to have this day as their day of rest, if that’s what there beliefs are.
Even though I very rarely attend church, I’m glad to see that the various denominations of churches in Barbados seem to be thriving. Back home in Scotland and all over the UK for that matter churches are closing down all the time due to lack of members. What I really hate to see is when these beautiful old churches shut down, they often get turned into bars, nightclubs, offices or apartments, and for me that is a crying shame.
I maybe do not attend church, but I make sure I read some of the bible, say a prayer and listen to a wee bit of gospel music on a Sunday, and give thanks to the lord for being alive and healthy.
If everyone stopped rushing around 7 days a week and spent a little bit more quality time with the family and even took a few minutes out to give thanks to our maker, the world may became an a better place. I’m glad to see that Barbados seems to be closer to my believes than back home in Scotland.
God Bless.
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